Display-cabinet.



W. T. HORMES.

USPLAY CABINET.

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W. T. HORMES.

DISPLAY CABINET.

APF'LICA 915. 1,176,713. Patented Mar. 21,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM T. HORMES, OF GOVANS, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO SOLOMON HIMMEL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

DISPLAY-CABINET.

Application led January 15, 1915.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM T. Hermes, a citizen of the United States, residing at (ovans, in the county of Baltimore and State ot' Maryland, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Display-Cabinets, ot' which the following is a specification.

This invention is a display cabinet of the type composed of a plurality of sectional units.

(lne of the objects of the invention is to produce a sectional cabinet for use in stores, wareroonls, and the like, in which the arrangelnent and style of the respective units may be changed or altered at will to suit different conditions that may be imposed by various merchants, and to conform to architectural conditions.

A further object is to provide knockdown units of sectional construction, which may be super-posed one upon the other, to form a stack of units.

A further object is to provide improved means cooperating with the units of each stack. to stiften the stack and to prevent relative displacement ot' the parts.

further object is to provide improved means for so connecting contiguous or adjoining stacks that relative movement of the stacks is prevented and the entire structure made rigid.

A further object is to provide means whereby the units and stacks may be compactl)v assembled to take up a minimum space. and to have the appearance of a single unitary structure.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set t'orth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing z-Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a display cabinet constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. l is a horizontal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3*?3, Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a detail perspective view of the end portion of a unit, with the pilaster removed.

Referring to the drawing, three separate and distinct stacks 10, 11 and 1'2 are illustrated. each stack being formed of a plurality of super-posed units. Each unit comprises a base member, 12, a top member 14, and end members 15 and 1G, respectively, the end members being somewhat narrower than the top and bottom members. The forward Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

Serial No. 2,450.

`edges of the top and bottom members are cut away near each end, as indicated at 17, to accommodate the pilasters 1S. The top and bottom members are removably connected to the end members b v means of hook and socket elements, the top edge of each end member being provided with a slotted plate 19, the slot 20 of which coincides with a recess Q1 formed in said end edge. The under-face of the top member is provided at the ends of said member, with plates 22 provided with hooks 23 arranged to pass through the slots 2O ot the plates 19 into the recesses 21. a slight rearward movement of the top member causing the hooks 23 to pass beneath the plates 19, thus locking the top member and the end members together. The bottom edges of said end members are also provided with similar slotted plates and recessed portions, indicated at '21, to receive complemental hooks 25 secured t0 the top face of the bottom member. By means of this arrangement the unit is made up of knock-down sections which may be readily assembled or separated, as may be desired. It desired, the unit may be provided with shelves "25 provided with hook members 2G on their ends to engage complemental slotted plates and recesses 27 with which the inner faces ot' the end members are provided. 'The front edges ot the end lnembers are provided with slotted plates and corresponding recesses 2S. to receive complemental hooks 29 carried by the pilasters 1S.

It will be understood that the end members 15 and 1G ma)y be of varying lengths to provide a unit of any desired height, in which event sectional units each including bottom and top members 13 and 11, respectively. may be utilized as shown in Fig. 1. It' a stack of units is desired. the same ma)Y be built up ot' a plurality ot' sections such as illustrated in Figs. 3 and l, cach section being constructed of top, bottom and end members. as above described, and a plurality ot' Said sections, are placed one upon the other` until the desired number have been assembled. The hooks QQ of a pilaster are then made to engage the plates and recess 28, and a downward push upon the pilaster causes the same to be interlocked with all of the superposed units. In this manner the pilaster stiif'ens the stack and retains all of the units in proper relation. B V providing the cut-away portions 17 the pilaster is made to form an abutment to prevent forward or unlocking movement of the the other hook of each pairengagingthe'- abutting end member of the otherstaek. In

this mannerV the adjoining stacks are rigidly and securely locked together, and relative movement thereof prevented. It is preferable to against t e other, to economize floor Space, but if for any reason it should be desired to slightly separate the ends of the stacks, it

1s only necessary to correspondingly increase.

the width of the pilaster, and separate the hooks of each pair to conform thereto.

It is obvious that the character of the respective units may be varied at will, various types of such units being illustrated in the drawing. For instance, the stack 10 is shown as composed of a unit having drawers 30, units 31 provided with display openings in the fronts thereof, and a unit 32 in the form of a compartment closed by `glass doors. The stack 11 comprises a section 33 provided with open shelves, a unit 34 divided intocompartments, and a unit 35 in the form of a large glass inclosed compartment. The stack 12 is formed of a section 36 provided with drawers, sections 37 provided with smaller drawers, and a glass inclosed unit 38. The end panels 39 are secured to the adjacent end members of the respective units in suitable manner, as by means of screws 40, the end pilaster extending over the front edge of the panel and the corresponding edges of end members of the units.

Having thus explained the nature of my invention and described an operative manner of constructing-and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the forms of its use, what I claim is 1. A display cabinet of the character described comprising end, top and bottom members having locking devices,l the locking devices of the end members being complemental to those of the other members, said locking devices being engaged and disen- 'gaged by movement of the 'top and bottom members relative to said end members, pilaster members, said end members and sald pilaster members also having complemental locking devices engaged and disengaged by lace the ends of the staeksrone movement of said pilaster members relative `tom and intermediate members, said locking devices bein engaged and disengaged by movement o the top and bottom members relative to said end members, pilaster members, -said end memrbers and said pilaster members also having complemental locking devices engaged anddisengaged by movement of said pilaster members relative to said end members, the movement of the pilaster members being at an angle to the Vmovement of the top and bottom members,

whereby engagement of the pilaster members with the end members will lock the top, bottom and intermediate members against disengaging movement.

3. A display cabinet of the character described comprising endmembers having their edges provided with locking devices, top and bottom members having locking devices on their inner faces, the locking devices of the end members being complemental to those of the other members, said locking devices being engaged and disengaged by movement of the top and bottom members relative to said end members, pilaster members, said end members and said pilaster members also having complemental locking devices engaged and disengaged by movement of said pilaster members relative to said end members, the movement of the pilaster members being at an angle to the movement of the top and bottom members, whereby en` gagement of the pilaster members with the end members will lock the top and bottom members against disengaging movement.

4. A display cabinet of the character described comprising end members having their edges provided with locking devices, top and bottom members having locking devices on their inner faces, the locking devices of the end members being complemental to those of the other members, said locking devices being engaged and disengaged by movement of the top and bottom members relative to said end members, pilaster members, the forward edges of said end members and the inner faces of the pilaster members being provided with eomplemental locking devices engaged and disengaged by movement of said pilaster members relative to said end members, the movement of the pilaster members being at an angle to the movement of the top and bottom members, whereby engagement of the pilaster members with the end members will lock the top and bottom members against disengaging movement.

5. A display cabinet of the character described comprising a stack of superposed knock down units each comprising end, top and bottom members having locking devices, the locking devices of the end members being complemental to those of the other members, said locking devices being engaged and disengaged by movement of the top and bottom members relative to said end members, pilaster members, said pilaster members and all of the end members of a stack having complemental locking devices engaged and disengaged by movement of said pilaster .members relative to said end members, the movement of the pilaster members being at an angle to the movement of the top and bottom members, whereb)Y engagement of the pilaster members with the end members will lock the top and bottom members against disengaging movement, each pilaster member extending from the top to the bottom of the stack.

t3. A display cabinet of the character described comprising knock down units arranged end for end, each unit comprising end, top and bottom members having locking devices, the locking devices of the end members being complemental to those of the other members, said locking devices being engaged and disengaged by movement of the top and bottom members relative to said end members` pilaster members, said end members and .said pilaster members also having complemental locking devices engaged and disengaged by movement of said pilaster members relative to said end members, the movement of the pilaster members being at an angle to the movement of the top and bottom members, whereby engagement ot' the pilaster members with the end members will lock the top and bottom members against disengaging movement, the abutting ends of the units being engaged by a single pilaster.

7. display cabinet of the character described comprising a plurality of superposed knock down units each comprising end members having their edges provided with locking devices, and top and bottom :members having locking devices on their inner Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the faces, the locking devices of the end members being complemental to those of the other members, said locking devices being engaged and disengaged by movement of the top and bottom members relative to said end members, pilaster members, the forward edges of all of the end members of the stack, and the inner faces of the pilaster members being provided with complemental locking devices engaged and disengaged by movement of said pilaster members relative to said end members, the movement of the pilaster members being at an angle to the movement of the top and bottom members, whereby engagement of the pilaster members with the end members will lock the top and bottom members against disengaging movement, each pilaster member extending throughout the height of the stack.

S. A display cabinet of the character described comprising a plurality of stacks of knock down units having abutting ends, each unit comprising end members having their edges provided with locking devices, and top and bottom members having locking devices on their inner faces. the locking de vices of the end members being complemental to those of the other members, said lockingdevices being engaged and disengaged by movement otl the top aud bottom members relative to said end members. pilaster members, the forward edges of all of the end members of each stack. and the inner faces of the pilaster members being provided with complemeutal locking devices engaged and disengaged b v movement of said pilaster members relative to said end members, the movement of the pilaster memY bers being at an angle to the movement of the top and bottom members, whereby engagement of the pilaster members with the end members will locl the top and bottom members against disengaging movement, each pilaster member extending throughout the height of the stack. the. abutting end members of the units of adjacent stacks being engaged by the same pilaster member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM T. HORMES.

Vitnesses MARGARET MEADE, GEORGE LANG.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

